Family accuses Animal Services of adopting out sick dog | News

Title (Max 100 Characters)

Brandon, Florida- Nineteen-year-old Beau Gardner says it only took seconds.

"We connected. It was love at first sight," said Gardner. He was talking about the day he adopted his very first dog, "Dudley", a six-month-old Lab-Shepherd Mix Thursday from Hillsborough Animal Services.

"They just told me he was getting neutered, his shots and chipped. Then they told me he was ready to go," said Gardner.

That's why he was so surprised when he took Dudley to his veterinarian for the dog's first routine check-up.

"We went in, got him x-rays and he had a fractured pelvis," said Gardner.

The veterinarian also found the dog suffering from hookworm, mange, and pneumonia.

"She was shocked also. She knew the puppy should not be adopted like that."

"My first thought is, I need to get more information," said Ian Hallett, director of Hillsborough Animal Services. "It's standard practice for there to be a disclaimer that they can have health conditions that we are unaware of."

Hallett says with hundreds of stray animals coming in with unknown backgrounds it can be difficult to diagnose every illness. But Gardner argues a simple exam at his vet uncovered the long list of problems.

A $250 medical bill later, Gardner now wonders how long his new best friend might have been suffering.

"He could have definatetly been in pain. He's on pain medicine now. He wasn't while he was in there."

The complaint comes just one day after an investigation was launched after staff at the same facility mistakenly euthanized a dog on the day his newly adopted family was scheduled to bring him home.